August 29, 2011 – Marit Bjoergen (NOR) has ruled out motherhood before she concludes her racing career, according to Langrenn.com. The 31-year-old XC skiing superstar has admitted she would like to have a family, but she aims to compete at the Sochi 2014 Olympics first.
“Sometime in the future, I feel like a family, but it does not happen before my career is over,” she told Langrenn. I think it would be difficult to combine children and elite sport.”
Bjoergen lives with former runner Fred Borre Lundberg. He is an Olympic champion and five-time World Champiom.
June 27, 2011 (Park City, UT) – For the past five days I have been moving along in overdrive down in Park City for a series of tests and Rookie Camp. The first two days in town we spent the entire day in the US Ski Teams new central gym called the Center of Excellence. That place is amazing; it gets you fired up just walking in to the place! With pictures and banners posted everywhere of all the successful athletes, you can’t help but get instantly excited. Not to mention there are famous people everywhere doing the same thing you are doing, just getting some work done.
Starting day one, we kicked off with a series of treadmill tests, blood tests, concussion tests, and then the following day hit two more treadmill tests, strength tests, functional movement tests, physicals, dexo scans, body composition tests, and probably a few more that I can’t remember anymore. The schedule was tight with only two days and six athletes to get through, so I felt like a lab rat for a bit, just jumping from one thing to the next. In the mean time I was trying to fit in school work and some outside training, since the sun was seriously shining.
I have watched so many people do the max tests on the treadmill with rollerskis on, so I was anxious to complete my first VO2 max test, and rollerski on the massive treadmill for the first time.I was surprised. It was pretty easy to get used to the motions of skiing on a treadmill. At first it was hard to remember to keep your skis straight, but within a few minutes it felt natural like skiing on snow. We would warm up on a separate treadmill, sometimes with another person- and then for the testing period we would transfer over to the treadmill with all the tubes, computers and harness hook up. In order to ensure that we didn’t go shooting off the back when we skid to maximum effort, they would attach a harness to your back, which would catch you when you went to a point of no return. I only got to try this out once, as the other two times I just grabbed onto the bar in front of me when I felt I could go no further. It is a funny point to go to maximum effort, because most times in races you know you have to keep going and finish the hill, so you hold yourself back from going to that place where you can no longer hold yourself up.
You had a team of about 15 doctors and coaches standing around the treadmill with each test either pricking your finger for blood, waiting to catch you when you fall, holding your breathing tube, reading your heart rates, running the machine, or simply just cheering you on. I swear the rest of the athletes in the gym that were not nordic skiers were all watching, thinking us nordic skiers are absolutely crazy! With a tube stuffed in your mouth, you are not able to talk, so Matt Whitcomb would just stand in front of us watching our face expressions for pain, and cheering us on. It was really a neat thing.
The other tests were hard in a different way. Strength tests measured our jumping power, or various mobility muscles, our stability muscles, and a few other. It turns out, all of us nordic skiers need a lot of work in that field. The concussion test was hilarious, as I felt like I failed it before I even need to be tested for a concussion. The rest of the tests were good, and it was fun to get a baseline measurement to see where I will progress from here. I have never had the opportunity to make many of these measurements, so its great to have all of this as a resource to us now.
The following three days we attended a US Ski Team class session, otherwise known as Rookie Camp. In three days, I learned more important information than I could have imagined. There were 42 athletes attending, who have just this year been named to the US Team, so it was fun to get to know these other alpiners, snowboarders, mogulists and aerialists. I don’t know much about any winters sports besides alpine, so I had tons of fun learning about these sports and what they do for training and competition. Besides that part of the three days, we also got to meet all the managers and various people that work in different areas of the US Team. A lot of times we communicate with these people over the phone or email, but we never know them by face, so I enjoyed getting to put a face to the voice or name. We also had media practice, met some trustee’s, learned about USADA, learned about Nutrition, got to speak with some of the top athletes on the team, and hear their experiences, learn about US Ski Team marketing and fundraising, did some team building exercises, played some outdoors games, and simply learned about all the various resources offered to us when you are part of the team. Starting at 6:30 in the morning when we woke up, to about 9:30 PM when we would return to the hotel- we were on a role, one thing after another!
With most of us in training at this time of year, they wanted to take the smallest amount of our time, but educate us as much as they could, so it was a successful process- plus I got to know a lot of talented athletes just introduced into the team that will probably be super famous one day!
Park City was so nice when we were there, like 85 degree days, but because we were inside testing all day, or inside doing meetings for the majority of the day, I had limited time in the sun. Somehow I still managed to completely fry my shoulders during day one of rookie camp at our ropes course. When you become used to living in Alaska, you forget about sun screen sometimes…..
For now, I have a week of dryland training in town before taking my second trip up to the glacier for a week. One thing after another- there is really no way I could get bored doing what I do. It is great!!!
Hopefully I will have more pictures from Rookie Camp coming soon! In the meantime, check out these:
June 23, 2011 (Ostersund, Sweden) – U.S. XC Ski Teamers Kikkan Randall and Liz Stephen are back from their whirlwind 2.5-week training trip to Sweden where they hung out with the Swedish National Team for some fabulous dryland and on-snow training, including some cultural exchange while making new friends.
“Last year I trained for a couple of weeks in Norway during the off season and at the last FIS Athlete Council meeting I chatted with Anna Haag and Emil Joensson and they invited me to Sweden to train with their team,” Randall told SkiTrax on her return. “Liz was interested as well so things took off from there.”
Randall and Stephen logged some great dryland and on-snow sessions in Mora, Ostersund and Torsby where they checked out the ski tunnel. Ostersund, located in the middle of Sweden on Lake Storsjön, is known as Winter City (Vinterstaden) and has hosted several National and World Championships including the Nordic Games, a precursor to the Winter Olympic Games – read more HERE.
According to Randall Ostersund is an awesome skiing hub. “It’s like a mini-athlete’s village. Many of the country’s top athletes including lots of xc skiers live there so there’s plenty of ongoing activities and opportunities.”
“The ski tunnel facility in Torsby is uber-cool. You can be roller skiing in the morning and be on snow in the afternoon. The temperature inside the tunnel is a brisk -3 degrees Celsius. Gliding on snow during the summer there reminded me why I love this sport,” quipped Randall.
The duo were introduced to Swedish cooking along with attending Haag’s cousin’s graduation ceremony and are even more hooked on Scandinavia. “We’re stoked in Sweden,” added Randall. So how’s her Swedish? “You know as much as I’ve travelled around the world because of skiing I’ve only been able to pick up some casual phrases here and there because everyone speaks such good English.”
Look for a full report from Randall and Stephen on their Swedish escapades… meanwhile, the above pics should whet your appetite. Skol.
June 23, 2011 (Park City, UT) – I’m in Park City, Utah for some quality testing and Rookie Camp; where all the newbies to the USST get introduced to how the team works, how we can still take classes from Westminster College while traveling, and all that good “life balance” stuff that’s super important but usually gets overlooked.
In the last two days, I’ve done a battery of tests including three treadmill rollerskiing tests, which were cool but super hard and painful at the same time. The Center of Excellence, where we’re training, has a lot of cool stuff including a weight room, gym, skate park, trampolines, foam pit, recovery room with ice baths, a PT and medical center, and a lot of spin bikes and treadmills. Which is sweet, especially since two of those treadmills are giants that could fit about 6 runners at once… or a rollerskier. So we did two “near-max” tests, one classic and one skate, but I accidentally maxed out on my classic one because I started the next speed level and since the levels go for 4 minutes, I wasn’t able to say “stop” so I fell off the treadmill instead. Yep, I’m smooth! Below is the video provided by Dave Knoop (posted to youtube by Yuriy Gusev):
Some of the other tests we’ve done include a max VO2 test classic-style, a strength test, a flexibility test, a movement screening and physical, a body composition test, a baseline impact test in case we ever get a concussion, and tomorrow morning we’re getting our bones scanned to make sure they’re strong enough. Everyone working at the COE is super nice, motivated and helpful, and stayed positive through a long day of testing!
Although all the testing kinda wears you down, I think it’s a really good idea because a lot of it has to do with injury prevention and finding out what you need to work on and where you need to get more flexible, so you can adjust your training to train smarter instead of simply harder.
So tomorrow, Rookie camp begins and I’m pumped to meet all the rookies from the other sports!
June 23, 2011 – The Organizers of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2011 in Oslo (NOR) announced last week that they were able to close their books highly successfully, producing a profit of 40 million NOK (5 million Euro / CHF 6.1 million) from the event.
“The main reason for the good result was the higher than expected ticket income. We maintained good control over our costs until the end, which helped deliver this successful financial result,” said Oslo 2011 Chairman of the Board Svein Aaser.
The Oslo 2011 Organizers were able to sell tickets for 38 million NOK over budget. Aaser also stressed that Oslo 2011 was organized without governmental support. In effect, Oslo 2011 was set up as a joint company by the Norwegian Ski Federation and the Federation for the Promotion of Skiing (Skifoereningen) with starting capital of just 2 million NOK.
“Much could have gone wrong, with warm weather or rain or some global catastrophe,” Aaser added. “We are very pleased that we had strong management and luck with many external influences.”
The profit will be used to promote sport of Skiing in Norway, providing a healthy foundation for better and more World Cup events, among other things. Norway also already plans a bid for another FIS World Championship in the future.
June 22, 2011 (Engadin, Switzerland) – The Worldloppet Association was founded in 1978 and brings together the most important popular Cross-Country skiing races in the world. It currently includes 15 races on four continents. In addition to the Engadin Ski Marathon, there are more races such as Vasaloppet, Birkebeiner or Marcialonga.
The aim of the annual meetings, which take place annually at different destinations, is to maintain a high standard of the races in terms of organization and service. The Engadin meeting took place from June 16-19, and enhanced cooperation between organizing committees. Participants also discussed future development of the Worldloppet.
“The Worldloppet meeting in Engadin was very successful and fruitful,” says Ivo Damaso, OC president of the host Engadine Ski Marathon. The participants agreed that Worldloppet must tackle challenges of popular skiing with a new common strategy in order to increase importance of Worldloppet races as well as the FIS Marathon Cup. The discussion among the delegates showed that new challenges such as “new media” must be actively addressed. Damaso therefore spoke of a new era and a forthcoming period of change. He stressed it is important to strengthen the position of the Association, to benefit from synergies of the members. As a result Worldloppet wants to become an umbrella of popular Cross-Country skiing.
The participants agreed that the current situation with two main series, FIS Marathon Cup and Ski Classics, is unsatisfactory where five out of six races in Ski Classics are already in the FIS Marathon Cup schedule. The dual classification leads to marketing problems and confusion. Worldloppet put its effort to merge the series in one and benefit from its attractiveness.
The assembly was also informed that the Executive Committee of Worldloppet did not receive, besides Angello Corradini, another candidacy before the election of the Secretary General. Corradini has been in office since 2004 and is also Chief of the OC of the Nordic World Ski Championships Val di Fiemme 2013.
June 22, 2011 – The Olympic gold medalist and World Champion, Norway’s Petter Northug, will compete in at least three Ski Classics distance events in 2012. According to the Norwegian TV2, he plans to contest Marcialonga in Italy, König Ludwig Lauf in Germany, and Vasaloppet in Sweden.
“Petter Northug is the greatest skier presently active, and having him competing in the peak of his career in Ski Classics is of course great news!” said David Nilsson Executive Director Ski Classics.
“Ski Classics has grown rapidly the last year and we will work hard during the summer in order to lift the sport of long distance skiing further in front of the coming season, to meet the expectations of fans, media and most important of all the athletes,” he added.
June 17, 2011 – The Canadian XC Ski Team is in Hawaii for its second off-season training camp. “We are going to be on Maui ten days doing altitude training on Haleakala volcano,” said Canada’s head coach Justin Wadsworth.
Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey, Ivan Babikov, Lenny Valjas, Chandra Crawford and Perianne Jones will carry out volume and intensity training. “We will particularly focus on long uphill climbing rollerskiing and good technique,” revealed Wadsworth.
The Canadian team gathered this month for its second off-season training camp. Kershaw, Harvey and Co. carried out the first one together with the U.S ski team at Mount Bachelor, Oregon. Both national teams praised good snow conditions and excellent joint training sessions.
Canada’s head coach Justin Wadsworth decided to go Hawaii because of June weather conditions in Canmore. “It’s a perfect time to get out of Canmore as June is the rainy season there. The locals call it “monsoon June,” he explained.
Cross-Country Canada team gathers every month for a team training camp that usually lasts two weeks. “The next one is going to be on-snow at the Beckie Scott Training center on the Haig Glacier just outside of Canmore. There we will have both our World Cup Team, as well as our Senior Development team focusing on distance training on skis,” revealed Wadsworth plans for upcoming weeks.
June 17, 2011 – Join us July 2nd at Craftsbury Outdoor Center for a XC ski technique clinic. This clinic will satisfy the technique portion requirement of both USSA L100 and NENSA Level 1 certifications. Clinic will run from 2 – 4 PM and will cover both classic and skate. There is no cost to attend. Athletes, coaches and recreational skiers are welcome! Contact Janice Sibilia at janice@nensa.net to sign up.
June 16, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – The team laced up their running shoes this past Sunday for the Bowness Centennial Road Race in Calgary, celebrating their 100 year mark in the community. Sunny weather made for a great day to run the 10km course, mapped throughout historic Bowness.
Devon Kershaw joined the team in the run, helping sweep the mens podium. Kershaw posted the days fastest time of 32:45, after surging away at the 2km mark from second place finisher Kevin Sandau, crossing the line at 34:00. Graeme Killick rounded out the top 3 after out sprinting teammate Drew Goldsack by a second.
Heidi Widmer, now competing as a first year under-23, finished third in a time of 43:22. Annika Hicks finished just 13 seconds behind her, taking the 4th place spot.
As a bonus to the top 3 finishers, Mayor Naheed Nenshi presented the awards to the recipients.
June 16, 2011 – Note that the official abbreviation code for the FIS member National Ski Association in New Zealand, Sports New Zealand, will be changed from NZE to NZL (the same abbreviation as used by the IOC) starting with the 2011/2012 competition season.
June 15, 2011 (Middlebury, VT) – Check out details about an upcoming rollerski clinic in Middlebury, VT led by Garrott Kuzzy, Cam Mackugler, Andrew Gardner, and Abby Weissman on July 6.
Join Garrott Kuzzy (CXC), Andrew Gardner (Middlebury), Cam Mackugler (Frost Mountain), and Abby Weissman (NENSA) for this intro level clinic. There will be a Juniors clinic from 4-5 and a Masters clinic from 5:30-7:30. Learn some new techniques or brush up on your form with some of the area’s best coaches.
The clinic will be split into groups based on experience. Lessons will be focused on technique, safety, and fun. NENSA has a limited number of rollerskis so email Abby Weissman (abby@nensa.net) if you need a pair. Please don’t forget to bring a helmet, poles (with road ferrules), boots, and a reflective vest or shirt.
Clinic size will be limited to 20 skiers, so sign up early!
Full event info (including registration link) HERE!
June 14, 2011 – The Swiss Cross-Country Ski Team carried out its second training camp last week. After the first get-together in Magglingen, Switzerland, the team went to Passo Stelvio, Italy for some training on the snow.
“The camp in Magglingen was a good one. It is a nice place to train and the conditions for rollerskiing are excellent. The month of May represents the start of a new season and it was nice to have the team together again and really start the training for 2011/12 season. We also made our test program in Magglingen and had meetings with coach team, service team and medical team,” explained head coach of the Swiss team Guri Hetland to fiscrosscounry.com.
After the dry land training and testing the Swiss team went to Italy to carry out trainings on snow. The Swiss team spent the whole week in Passo Stelvio and returned home on Sunday, June 12. “Snow conditions were good and we could ski outside the hotel door. We used the 4,5 km long course, where we had perfect possibilities for endurance and technical training. In the afternoons we mostly went down in the valley for rollerski or running workouts and some intensive trainings,” revealed Hetland who starts her second season with the Swiss team.
“This season the distance athletes and the sprinters will train more together. We now have one World Cup team with 10 athletes; Sprint and Distance, men and women. That means the distance athletes will train more with the sprinters to improve their top-speed and the sprinters will train more with the distance athletes to improve endurance,” claimed Hetland.
Service staff of the Swiss Cross-Country team got a strong reinforcement with the former service man of Petra Majdic. “Gianluca Marcolini will be a good supplement in our team. He is really experienced and he has much knowledge. He will be working close to Dario, but contribute to all the athletes as well,” explained Hetland.
There are more than five months before the FIS Cross-Country World Cup 2011/12 kicks off but all the thoughts and preparations aim at next season. “We are happy about the World Cup calendar for the next season. There are free technique races in the beginning of the season and that is good for our “skate-experts”. We also like 30 km individual start in Davos. It will be great to welcome the Cross-Country family at the traditional race in Davos! Tour de Ski looks good as well. One more competition makes it even tougher, but we like the concept,” said Hetland. Tour de Ski 2012 will be the season highlight and a chance for Dario Cologna to defend the title from last year.
June 14, 2011 – The U.S. Ski Team women are inviting women’s cross country ski teams and summer training groups throughout North America to participate in a video challenge. Rally your team, training group, or summer training camp and send in a video of your summer training experience by July 15, 2011!
Goals:
– Bring together all women ski training in North America for one project
– Emphasize the importance of group training sessions
– Celebrate and generate awareness of the number of women training in North America
– Take a step back to remember what is fun about skiing for you and your team
Video Requirements:
– 3 minutes in length
– Include a brief introduction to the team or training group
– Video should show your group training together
– Humor and hardcore training are encouraged!
– The color pink is recommended
U.S. Ski Team’s Entry:
To submit your video: Upload it to www.youtube.com and title your video “U.S. Ski Team Women’s Video challenge – (team/group name)”, and send the link and a brief description of your training group to xcwomenrock@gmail.com. Keep your link “unlisted” until July 15th. All videos must be submitted by July 15th. The online video festival will begin on July 20th. All videos will be featured on the USSA Nordic Facebook channel.
June 13, 2011 – The FIS Cross-Country World Cup calendar for the upcoming season 2011/12 was finalized during the FIS Calendar Conference in Portoroz from 1st to 5th June, and confirmed by the FIS Council at its meeting in Ljubljana on 6th June. 19 World Cup venues are included in the season which will kick off in Beitostoelen, Norway on 19th November. The 6th Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear was confirmed with the dates from 29th December 2011 to 8th January 2012. In the season without a FIS World Championship and Olympic Winter Games, the FIS Tour de Ski will be carried out over 11 days with nine races in two countries.
Other highlights of the calendar include Russia with an event Moscow and the debut of Szklarska Poreba and Poland which will make their World Cup debut. The World Cup races there will be held on Friday and Saturday whilst on Sunday, the FIS World Uphill Trophy will be carried out. This is a unique race with about 3 km uphill and 3,5 km downhill on an alpine downhill slope and will not be a part of the World Cup. In addition, Milano will return to the World Cup calendar in January after having held a sprint for the first time in 1998.
In terms of rules changes, the most important ones include the renaming of the race format pursuit (classic & free technique combined race) to skiathlon in order to distinguish from the handicap races which are a type of a pursuit, too
To increase the excitement for the spectators in future team sprints, only two teams are directly qualified from the semi-final into the final (until now, three made the direct cut). To complete the field of 10 teams in the final, six teams will earn their spots in the final by virtue of their times.
Finally, to always have a field with the leading nations participating in all World Cup competitions, the five best (Ranking Team World Cup 2010/11) according to the gender ranking (Top 5 ladies’ teams: Norway, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Poland and top 5 men’s teams: Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy) have to start in all World Cup competitions during the season 2011/12, except for one FIS World Cup weekend.
June 11, 2011 (Killington, VT) – The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum is pleased to announce that skier John Morton will be inducted into the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame at this year’s celebrations on October 23, along with fellow famous Vermont skier/snowboarders Greg McClallen, Karen Huntoon Miller, and Preston Leete Smith.
John Morton, a four event skier originally from New Hampshire, skied four years on the Middlebury College ski team. There his aptitude for cross country emerged, first as Eastern Intercollegiate Champion in 1966 and ’68, then as runner up in the 1968 NCAA Championships. A four-year assignment to the U.S. Biathlon Training Center at Fort Richardson, Alaska, was interrupted by a tour of duty in South Vietnam. Upon release from active service in 1972, he taught and coached in Anchorage before returning to Vermont as head coach of men’s skiing at Dartmouth College in 1978. Since then, from his office in Thetford, Vermont, he has developed trails for private landowners, municipalities and schools, resorts, as well as competition venues for major international events such as the World University Games and Biathlon World Cups while writing and commentating on skiing and outdoor recreation.
This year’s Induction ceremony will be on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at the Killington Grand Resort, Killington, Vermont. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction followed by dinner and the Induction Ceremony. Ticket information will be available soon; please check the web site www.vtssm.com for details.
The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to honor athletes, special contributors, and pioneers of Vermont skiing and snowboarding who promoted and/or contributed to the sports’ development; to document the histories of Inductees in the Museum’s collection; and to recognize their accomplishments through the Induction ceremony and the Hall of Fame exhibit.
June 10, 2011 – The Central Cross Country Ski Association is offering a variety of Junior and Master/Citizen Open Camps this summer, along with lots of other great events. There’s a CXC camp suitable for every skier. Read on for more details.
June 09, 2011 (Hardwood Ski and Bike, ON) – Here are some details about this weekend’s Southern Ontario Training Centre Open Training Camp for athletes of ages 17+. This is the Southern Ontario Training Centre’s inaugural training camp at Hardwood Ski and Bike under the leadership of newly appointed Head Coach, Petr Jakl. In addition to meeting the SOTC coach and learning more about the Centre, participants will engage in a variety of dryland training activities.
Schedule: June 11
– 9:30 a.m. – Meeting athletes in front of First Aid Station
– 9:45 – 11:45 a.m. – Roller skiing: Warm-up, ski technique drills, specific ski strength, distance skiing, cool-down
– 12:00 – 2:15 p.m. – Lunch, Athletes & parents meeting
– 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. – Running & strength: Warm-up, core strength, plyometric drills, circuit strength training, cool-down
– 6:00 p.m. – BBQ
June 12
– 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Running w/ poles, ski bounding: Warm-up, poles running & bounding drills, interval hills, cool-down
– 12:00 p.m. – Wrap up
Necessary equipment:
All-weather running clothes and shoes, running poles (up to mid-chest), skating roller ski equipment, helmet, gloves, reflective vest, HR monitor, and exercise mat.
Note: No fee. Also we are not providing accommodation. Participants are expected to bring their own food and beverages. Transportation to the camp and between the camp stages will be by accompanying adults.
May 16, 2011 – Every year my family runs in the Apple Blossom races at the Carpenter Nature Center in Hastings. It’s a super fun race because it’s beautiful and ends with a run along the blooming apple trees. There is a half marathon, a 10km, a 5km and a kid’s run. The half takes you through a surprising amount of hills…or maybe not, since the Afton area is the rollerskiing mecca of the Twin Cities. Either way, my knees feel like jelly afterward! Still, I’m not complaining because LAST year, I ran the half marathon the morning after prom (unfortunate timing, I know) and I looked like a zombie running on maybe an hour of sleep!
Our vet, Carolyn, is a really good runner and comes to the Apple Blossom every year as well. Last year, she completed her first ever Birkie and plans to come back for more!
This Mom was running the half as well and it was so darn cute because her three boys were fidgiting and jumping up and down waiting just so they could sprint down the finishing stretch with her.
If you’re looking for a early spring running race, this one’s pretty much perfect!
May 16, 2011 – SkiTrax would like to welcome new blogger Sadie Bjoernsen. Check out her latest blog, including lots of photos, and stay tuned for more updates from Sadie.
Springtime!
Mmmm, springtime in Alaska!!!! It’s just too good. Not many places can you Nordic ski all the way into middle of May. This spring I decided I was going to live a little more of a “true Alaskan winter” and spend some more time doing the kind of skiing where gravity is doing most the work. I am super lucky though, many of my friends are really into backcountry skiing, so I was having to hold myself back from going and playing every single day. Trying to stay caught up in school, and fit in some work here and there…. I got a bit behind playing that much. The good news is, for the first time I had a pretty active spring, which means I am not nearly as out of shape as I normally am May 1st. That was my first goal for this year. In staying in shape through the resting period, I don’t loose the first two months just trying to build my fitness back up.
A lot has unfolded and happened in the last month since I have started phasing into my new season. For one, it has now been exactly a year since I joined the “Big Blue APU”. I couldn’t be happier that I joined this squad, and now I managed to convince my brother to jump onto the wagon and ski for APU as well.- so its going to be fun! For the past week we have been training hard in our annual “start up camp” Start up camp normally consists of two-a-days with lots of intervals, lots of skiing hard, and lots of soreness and stiffness.
Last year I was nearly in a wheel chair by the end of the week of training with the new team, so this year I knew what to expect going into it… which is why I tried to bridge my seasons together more by keeping my fitness up during my rest period. But, of course, I still managed to put myself in a world of hurt all week. You know you are doing the right thing when showing up to training is more than just another day of work. It’s amazing, every day, regardless of how wrecked everyone is, everyone is always smiling and ready to throw down when they show up for training. I think thats what makes this training group so successful. The energy within it is always positive, so it’s hard not love it.
Read a nice article Beth wrote in the Alaska Daily News HERE.
The second big thing of my spring is being named to the National Team. I am super pumped about it. I think the National team has something great going on now. With lots of focus on young development, I think they are determine to build from the ground up and make something really happen in the future. It’s also awesome because we have our little rabbit, Kikkan Randall to watch and aim for. Being named to this team means joining in with some of the fastest girls in the country periodically throughout the summer and fall and getting in some good training.
This year, the woman’s National Team, the Canadian woman’s National Team, and some of the top APU ladies are all going to join up for a week of training up at Eagle Glacier. I don’t think those girls know what they are getting in to. I have this feeling they are going to fall in love, and before we know it, everyone is going to want to be moving to Alaska. Anyways, I am super stoked and honored to be representing not only APU now, but also the US. Unfortunately, as always in this sport, there is not much funding out there, so being on the B-Team means covering most of our own costs. So I am still always looking for support.
Which brings me to my last point. For the past month we have been working our butts off planning and putting together an awesome fundraiser for the APU team to cover racing costs for the season. We will be putting on an auction with lots of sweet items including trips to hawaii as well as bikes, skis, artwork and much more.
If you are in the Anchorage area, come out and check out what we are about! More than just a fundraiser, this is also a celebration of all the great successes we have had this year including USSA club of the year, coach of the year and athlete of the year. We are always looking for people to join the family of support and help us reach great levels. So, if you are around Anchorage, the event is May 10th starting at 6:30.
From here until May 20th, I will be training in town and starting up summer school before I take off for Bend, Oregon for my first US Ski Team Camp for 10 days. I think this year I am going to see if I can ski every month of the year. September might get a little tricky, but I am determine to make it happen.
May 12, 2011 (Cavalese, Italy) – The traditional debrief by the Oslo 2011 team for the benefit of the upcoming Organizers in Val di Fiemme 2013 took place in Cavalese, the administrative center of Val di Fiemme, on 5th and 6th May. The Norwegian group was led by the Oslo 2011 CEO, Asne Havnelid along with Sports Director John Aalberg and Finance Director Stein Opsal. Delegations from FIS and Falun 2015 (SWE) also attended along with representatives of the European Broadcasting Union, the Fiemme 2013 host broadcaster RAI and EBU’s marketing partner Tridem Sports.
In a candid exchange of their lessons learned, the Oslo 2011 team especially highlighted the challenges of dealing with more than 1.2 million spectators that needed to be transported and managed. They also noted the great efforts by the organizers and the city of Oslo stage the World Championships as eco-friendly as possible, such as using bio-diesel only for all buses. The Oslo 2011 representatives praised the great cooperation from the Fiemme 2013 team for the Casa Trentino Fiemme 2013 in Oslo during the event. Oslo 2011 also looks as though it will be a financial success.
The 6th meeting of the Coordination Group for Fiemme 2013 followed the Oslo 2011 debrief. Since the previous meeting in October, the Fiemme 2013 team took full opportunity of the winter’s World Cup season, especially the 5th FIS Tour de Ski, to further test promotional and organizational concepts such as the South Nordic Festival in Cavalese and the Rampa con i Campioni popular race on Alpe Cermis. The renovation projects at the Cross-Country Ski Center in Lago di Tesero and the Ski Jumping stadium in Predazzo have advanced well and are on schedule for the first tests during the coming winter. Next season, the official test events in all Nordic disciplines, including the first ladies Ski Jumping events are planned in Val di Fiemme. The Fiemme 2013 team also revealed plans for the opening ceremony that will take place in the historical city center of Trento, 60 km from Cavalese, on 20th February 2013.
Sarah Lewis, FIS Secretary General commented: “Every time we return to Val di Fiemme we are newly impressed by the level of preparedness and energy to embark on new initiatives to create a festival spirit at the Championships With less than two years to go, we can already be excited about the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Fiemme in 2013, which will have a special focus on servicing the athletes and teams in many new ways.”
May 12, 2011 (Park City, UT) – A notice to all USSA Cross Country Coaches – please save the dates of October 21-23 for our 2011 National Coaches’ Education Symposium. Location: USSA Center of Excellence, Park City, UT. We will limit the Symposium attendance to 60 coaches total. All attendees must be a USSA licensed coach. We will also give preference to USSA certified Level 100 coaches. More information will follow in the upcoming months. Hope to see you in October. Contact Chris Grover, XC Head Coach, for more info. cgrover@ussa.org
May 11, 2011 – Professional cross country ski coach Fredrik Auklund, who trains Olympic and World Cup medalist Dario Cologna (SUI), declined the dream job offer of Norwegian XC Team Head Coach, formerly held by Coach Morten Aa Djupvik, who retired unexpectedly at the end of last season. Aukland, a husband and father of two, was not able to commit to the over 200 days of travel that the position required, according to an NRK article. Read the full story HERE.
May 11, 2011 – Martin Koukal decided to leave the Czech national Cross-Country team and will take part in distance races next season.
World Champion in 50 km Free from Val di Fiemme 2003, bronze medalist in team sprint from Oberstdorf 2005 and bronze medal winner in relay from Vancouver 2010 decided to leave the Czech national team in favor of loppets.
32 year-old skier from Nove Mesto na Morave plans to return to World Cup racing in the 2012/13 season to be able to qualify for the World Championships in Val di Fiemme 2013 and Winter Olympic Games in Sochi one year later.
“I’ve been in the World Cup very long time and I feel I need a change. It will be a challenge and I like challenges very much,” said Koukal to the Czech media. “Koukal will take part in at least to training camps with the Czech national team and will race at the World Cup in Nove Mesto. I want to have overview about his shape,” explained Czech head coach Miroslav Petrasek.
May 11, 2011 – Each spring NENSA recognizes an outstanding coach who has made a difference in not only the sport of cross country skiing, but in the lives of the people around them. This year NENSA is pleased to announce Sverre Caldwell, Head Nordic Coach at Stratton Mountain School as our 2011 Coach of the year! Most recently, Sverre has led his group of athletes to multiple medals at this years Junior National’s; In addition to individual top placings, they also won the girls and boys and overall for the Roger Weston Award and the boys and girls and overall Club award!
Sverre’s talents go beyond getting results though, to fulfill an even greater role in the lives of his charges. The wisdom Sverre brings from being immersed in the sport for a long time aids his athletes in every sapect of their lives. He has run the gamut from coaching youngsters all the way up through the National and Olympic team skiers -but has always returned to his true love of coaching juniors. If you had the chance to see his presentation at last years NENSA symposium, then you are aware of the SMS philosophy of “Cradle to Grave”. A unique name but one that captures the philosoply fabulously! He has found a way to motivate all of these age groups, keep them returning home to mentor up and coming skiers, and teaches them the importance of giving back to the sport.
Sverre’s consistency has led to this impressive achievement: He has had a gold medal winner at Junior National’s for the past 15 consecutive years and consistently puts SMS kids onto the Jr and U23 world championship teams. Andy Newell, SMS alum and current USST member sums it up best: “I think Sverre is the greatest coach because he combines experience and leadership with a laid back fun coaching style. Over the years he’s be so successful because he’s always willing to learn and try new things, but at the same time sticks to basics of simple training plans and hard work.” NENSA is proud to present this very deserving coach, with our Coach of the Year award.
May 10, 2011 – Check out this great interview with Swedish cross country skier Marcus Hellner as he reflects on winning Olympic gold in 2010 and Worlds in Oslo this year. He also talks about his off-season activities and plan to win the World Cup overall next season. Read the full Red Bull interview HERE.
May 10, 2011 – The defense team for Andru Veerpalu, the Olympic medal winning cross country skier who tested positive for HGH and retired suddenly on the eve of the 2011 World Championships in Oslo, requested an extension that has been granted by FIS in order to prepare their case, reported ERR News. Veerpalu’s defense stated the 10-day extension will be sufficient. The new deadline is now May 20. This extension does not change Veerpalu’s hearing date on June 5.
May 10, 2011 – Fourteen women had a most enjoyable ski on Mother’s Day May 8th, 2011. They all met at the Chalet, and then went for an 8Km on the Birches & Alf’s summit with unbelievably conditions that were close to excellent and all had fun. Back at the chalet, excitement was in the air, conversation was rampant and the ladies had quite an enjoyable social with lots of food and sweets. What!! Some were heard to say, they are looking forward to ski on May 24th.
May 10, 2011 – The double Olympic gold medalist Björn Lind has decided to step back from professional skiing. “Björn has been a great team member, a part of Team Exspirit’s successful premier season, his person, knowledge and experiences have been of most importance! Now we can only wish him good luck in his life after skiing!” said David Nilsson, Team Director Team Exspirit.
May 09, 2011 – With May and the traditional start of ski training season upon us, strength training conversations are picking up in pace. Discussions like these are clockwork. They abound every year. Instead of pulling out some new studies on strength, skiing and power, I thought I’d pull out the old training logs and see the multi-year trends I’ve followed through the years.
In April, strength makes up a solid chunk of my training volume. First off, the April training load is lower than the rest of the year. And two, I’m not worried about heavy legs or tired arms affecting my now non-existent specific ski training period. I get into the gym three to four times a week for all-around general strength work.
For one month a year I don’t follow a specific strength plan in the gym. Instead, it’s a little more freeform. My guide is remembering the little conversations I had with myself during the past season. Like, “Oh man, I have the horsepower for a top-end double-pole finish, but the chain from my upper core to my lower body is a little weak. Best to address this early on in next season’s preparation.” And now that the training season for 2012 is upon us, it’s time to act on these thoughts and impressions.
Skiers go into the weight room to turn strength into power, and as the big races approach, to turn this into ski-specific power. As the big races of the season loom ahead, work in the weight room gets more ski specific, and strength drills on skis take on a greater preference.
May, though, is not the time to place the emphasis on such priorities. In May it’s about addressing any lingering physical ailments you might have built up from so much repetitive movements, done over and over, day after day. Spring’s the time to recover. It’s also the time to make sure that the aggravating tendonitis in the elbow or Achilles is a thing of the past.
Once a week, I focus for two hours only on basic physical therapy inspired drills so I don’t spend at least this much time nursing along ailments through the meat-and-potatoes of the race season.
May is also the time to build the foundation of strength. To do this, I focus on four core lifts. Twice a week I head to the gym and do these four lifts as the bulk of my weight room session. More specifically, I do these three-to-four sets of each of these lifts, with twelve-to-fifteen reps a time.
It’s a time for me to get back in touch with proper lifting techniques. To help me with this, I will enlist at least once the helpful eyes of an outsider. I may think I’m lifting from the hips, and keeping my weight back on the heels in my full squats, but sometimes perception has a way in getting in the way of reality. This is where the second pair of eyes from a video camera or your lifting partner comes in handy.
But what to focus on, you ask? Well, I asked the same questions to Zach Wetterford, US Olympic Training Center Lifting Coach (and former US Ski Team Lifting Coach) to get the skinny from someone who thinks about cleans, squats, plyometrics and strength-based plyometrics every day of the week. Here’s the technique pointers Zach has for the “Wetterford Four.”
Dead Lift into Clean
Key Points:
– Remember this is very explosive movement utilizing the hips, legs, back and shoulders.
– Keep the back tight and flat throughout the lift.
– The bar’s trajectory should move only in a vertical plane. Don’t swing it out and around; rather jump it straight up.
Squat
Key Points:
– Look straight ahead, keeping one’s head and chest up – this aligns the spine, protecting it from injury.
– Keep weight equally distributed between both feet.
– Push through one’s feet. Don’t get up on your toes!
Pull Down
Key Points:
– Maintain upper body in upright position, with a slight backward lean from the hips.
– Avoid jerky movements
– Keep shoulders down to stabilize scapula and isolate the lats.
Press
Four Lifts – all Coach Weatherford approved. Just remember to Keep it Simple. Get a coach to get the technique down. Emphasize multi-joint movements. Don’t substitute strength for sport training.
May 06, 2011 – Memberships expire annually on June 30. Click here to save a stamp and renew your membership online. There is no extra charge for using online registration. So get a jump on the season and register early.
Early registration is especially important for those athletes attending summer camps and participating in the southern hemisphere this summer. For more information on renewing your membership online, click here or contact membership@ussa.org.
USSA is still accepting paper applications. To register by mail, fax or email, applications are available in PDF format from the USSA & FIS Applications link on the right-hand side of the homepage.
Memberships expire annually on June 30. Click HERE to save a stamp and renew your membership online. There is no extra charge for using online registration. So get a jump on the season and register early.
Early registration is especially important for those athletes attending summer camps.
For more information on renewing your membership online, click HERE or contact membership@ussa.org.
The USSA is accepting registrations for the 2011-12 membership season. Click HERE to register now.
If you prefer to register via mail, fax or email, applications are available in PDF format from the USSA & FIS Applications link HERE or on the right-hand side of the homepage. Forms are also available by fax or email. Just contact Member Service by email membership@ussa.org to request your application.
May 05, 2011 (Munich, Germany) – A group around 20 highly engaged FIS Cross-Country TV experts, commentators, representatives of the international TV rights holder Infront Sports & Media and FIS timing and data partner Swiss Timing, along with staff from both FIS and FIS Marketing AG gathered in Munich (GER) on Tuesday and Wednesday, 3rd – 4th May, to review the FIS Cross-Country World Cup season from the perspective of TV production. The focus was on further improvements for the upcoming season with special attention being paid to TV production of the different competition formats, the World Cup calendar and integration of the TV experts.
Additional discussions points included general feedback from past season, inputs on various items of carrying out a Cross-Country competition from the television perspective including the use of TV graphics, running order, Tour de Ski winner presentation and international flash interview as well as a news clip service.
“There were many interesting discussions and exchanges of experience. I’m always amazed about the great enthusiasm that our TV Cross-Country experts bring to support us with their ideas and help develop our sport. After the successful implementation of the Broadcasting Manual two years ago, I am happy that we continue to follow up and work on increasing the quality of TV production, which is definitely a key area to help grow the interest in our sport,” commented Vegard Ulvang, Chairman of the FIS Cross-Country Committee.
May 05, 2011 – FIS has received nine applications to be Candidates for the organization of FIS World Championships in 2016 and 2017, including four applicants for the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. By the May 1st 2011 deadline, nine applicants submitted their candidacies as follows:
– One application for the 2016 FIS Ski Flying World Championships submitted by Kulm (AUT)
– Three applications for the 2017 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships submitted by Ǻre (SWE), Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA), and St. Moritz (SUI)
– Four applications for the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships submitted Lahti (FIN), Oberstdorf (GER), Planica (SLO) and Zakopane (POL)
– One application for combined 2017 FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships submitted by Sierra Nevada (SPA)
“Just weeks after the successful 2011 editions, FIS is happy to witness the continuing interest for the organization of the FIS World Championships. This high number of applications by several nations and world’s premium resorts underlines their importance in the global sports calendar,” commented FIS President Gian Franco Kasper.
The FIS Council will elect the organizers of the 2016/2017 FIS World Championships during the 2012 Congress week in Gangwon Province (KOR) on 31st May 2012. Prior to that, each Candidate, together with its National Ski Association, will prepare its detailed concept by 1st September 2011 based on a specific FIS Questionnaire, containing details such as plans for sports organization, accommodation, transportation, logistics, security, media, communications, marketing, ceremonies, the environment, spectator services and fan experience.
May 04, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – The Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) is pleased to announce that Chris Jeffries will be the new Head Coach for the 2011-12 season. Chris will be taking over from Mike Cavaliere, who will continue to act as Program Director.
After a successful first year with the team, we are excited to see Chris’ role continue to expand, providing the opportunity to lead and implement the core programming for athletes in the Learning to Compete stage of Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development framework. In addition to AWCA athletes, Chris will also lead the integration of the Alberta Ski Team and the National Talent Squad.
The Alberta World Cup Academy is also pleased to announce that Stefan Kuhn will also be joining the coaching staff for the 2011-12 season. Stefan, a regular World Cup Skier for the past few seasons and 15th in the sprint race at the 2010 Olympics will pass on his knowledge and expertise to our next generation of skiers. The AWCA is fortunate to have Stefan as a coach and mentor for our developing team. In addition to applying his tremendous practical coaching knowledge, Stefan will study the theory of coaching through courses offered at National Coaching Institute in Calgary.
Eric Groeneveld will also be returning to the AWCA for his third year and will have a strong leadership role working with our Alberta Ski Team/National Talent squad athletes. We have been very pleased with Eric’s continued growth and development as a coach and we expect him to continue to develop in a strong leader.
Mike Cavaliere is very pleased with the AWCA program’s progress during the first three years of operation. “This is an exciting time for athlete development in Western Canada, and we are proud to be at the forefront of these efforts. Our goal, from the start, was to create a very positive environment, which encourages athletes to work hard and to dream big dreams. The 2011/12 Academy coaching and support team is allowing us to take further steps in achieving our program goals and continuing to produce superb results.
The AWCA remains loyal to it objectives of athlete development and will continue to use the very best professionals to help us achieve our goals. Continuing with our resource team in 2011/12:
– Rob Soffer – Strength training
– Dr. Jean Armstrong – Medical support
– Hugh Simpson – Physiotherapy support – www.activemotionphysio.ca
– Patrick Moore – Technical Services
May 03, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Cross Country Canada has released its 2011/2012 season National Team and coaching staff roster on the heels of a record-breaking 2010/2011 campaign, which saw Canadian skiers achieve World Cup and World Championship medals. Look for the following list of racers to be making history on the snow next season and for years to come.
Senior World Cup Team Head Coach: Justin Wadsworth Coaches: Eric de Nys, Louis Bouchard
– Ivan Babikov – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AB
– Chandra Crawford – Canmore Nordic Ski Club, AB
– Dasha Gaiazova – Rocky Mountain Racers, QC
– Alex Harvey – Club Nordique Mont Ste. Anne, QC
– Perianne Jones – Nakkertok Ski Club, ON
– Devon Kershaw – Ona Wa Su, ON
– Len Valjas – Team Hardwood, ON
Senior Development Team Coaches: Louis Bouchard (CNEPH), Mike Cavaliere (AWCA), Eric Bailey (NDC-TB)
– Jess Cockney – Foothills Nordic/AWCA, AB
– Drew Goldsack – Rocky Mountain Racers/AWCA, AB
– Graeme Killick – Banff Ski Runners/AWCA, AB
– Alysson Marshall – Larch Hills/AWCA, BC
– Brent McMurtry – Foothills Nordic/CNEPH, AB
– Emily Nishikawa – Whitehorse/AWCA, YK
– Graham Nishikawa – Whitehorse/AWCA, YK
– Kevin Sandau – Foothills Nordic/AWCA, AB
– Michael Somppi – Lappe/Thunder Bay NDC, ON
– Frédéric Touchette – Club Nordique Mont Ste. Anne, QC
Junior Team
– Dahria Beatty – Whitehorse, YT
– Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt – Club de ski de fond Fondeurs-Laurentides/CVTC, QC
– Raphael Couturier – Commission de ski Nordique Skibec/CNEPH, QC
– Janelle Greer – Whitehorse/AWCA, YT
– Zach Holland – Banff Ski Runners/AWCA, AB
– Knute Johnsgaard – Whitehorse/CNEPH, YT
– Maya Macissac-Jones – Rocky Mountain Racers, AB
– Alex Mahoney – Rocky Mountain Ski Racers, AB
– Camille Pepin – Club Nordique M.S.A., QC
– Rebecca Reid – Black Jack Nordic/AWCA, BC
– Geoffrey Richards – Black Jack Nordic/CVTC, BC
– Martin Schrama – Banff Ski Runners/CVTC, AB
– Sébastien Townsend – Club Nakkertok Nordique, QC
– Alexis Turgeon – Club de ski de fond Skinouk, QC
– Michelle Workun-Hill – Club Nakkertok Nordique, QC
Para-Nordic World Cup Team Head Coach: Robin McKeever
– Mark Arendz – Foothills Nordic, AB
– Jody Barber – Bulkley Valley Ski Club, BC
– Colette Bourgonje – Snobuddy Ski Club, SK
– Chris Klebl – Lifesport, AB
– Brian McKeever – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AB
– Robin McKeever (guide) – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AB
– Erik Carleton (guide) – Rocky Mountain Racers, AB
Para-Nordic Development Team Coaches: Pierre Pomerleau, Robin McKeever
– Sébastien Fortier, Skibec/Hus-ski, QC
** National Development Centre teams will be announced when all information is available**
May 03, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – The National Winter Sports Association is offering financial assistance opportunities aimed at supporting the development of internationally competitive Canadian athletes in cross-country skiing. In order to apply for the available financial assistance, applicants must submit a proposal conforming to the criteria below.
A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Overview:
The “National Winter Sports Association” (NWSA) was established to assist cross-country ski clubs with proven ability to develop competitive skiers, coaches with a long-term development plan and elite individual athletes.
The Association’s funding assistance order of priorities includes:
1. The hiring of full time professional coaches to lead year round athlete development programs. The coach is required to adapt an inclusive approach to Cross Country Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Guide, “Cross-Country Skiing – A Sport for Life.”
2. Advancing the education of professional coaches and cross-country ski racers who want to become professional coaches; this may include assisting them in their education at the National Coaching Institute (NCI) or other career enhancing opportunities.
3. Funding assistance for athletes who have the skill and desire to compete, first for their club and provincial team and then at the National Ski Team level.
4. Funding assistance for Cross Country Canada’s National Development Centres (NDCs).
Funding Assistance Disbursement Framework:
There will be a limited amount of money available for disbursement by the Association in the 2011-12 season. The allocation of funds to clubs and NDCs will be based on the Association’s priorities in alignment with the following:
1. The quality of the club or NDC’s proposed program, the club or NDC’s cross-country facilities and organizational support systems to deliver the program.
2. Funding assistance for career coaching education at the club and NDC level will be based on the coach’s written career development plans.
3. Funding assistance for individual athletes will be based on the published eligibility guidelines and will consider the long term goals and plan leading towards international success.
Club and Coach Eligibility for Funding Assistance:
1. Any nationally affiliated cross-country ski club, National Development Centre (NDC) or coach or potential coach from any Province or Territory in Canada.
2. The club or NDC must demonstrate a commitment to a minimum amount of security for the coach being considered for this financial assistance. This includes a minimum two year commitment with a benefits package that includes a medical and insurance services plan and contribution to an RRSP plan on a matching contribution basis.
3. The club head coach, whether presently employed or your preferred candidate, must have the following credentials:
– NCCP level 3 accreditation or is in the process of acquiring Level 3 accreditation by the end of the season (resume should be attached)
– A comprehensive plan outlining professional development and a career path; this may include advancing their education at the National Coaching Institute (NCI) and other career enhancing opportunities.
4. The club should be a parent supported organization including a cadre of volunteer coaches. An organizational chart should be submitted with the proposal.
5. Submission of a program description and an operational plan including how the club will accelerate the development of talented athletes who have the desire and skills to achieve excellence in the sport.
6. Submission of a financial operational budget for 2011-12 and a budget estimate for the club or NDC program 2011-12, specifying the club’s financial sources and the amount requested from the Association. Additionally, the request can include funding assistance required to send top athletes to essential national and international competitions.
7. Submission of a current list of the club’s Board of Directors, including home addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses; a list of the number of club members and the date your club was incorporated as a non-profit society.
8. Submission of the names and ages of the athletes in your athlete development programs; this includes those athletes at the Learning to Train through Training to Compete stages of LTAD.
Athlete Eligibility and Submission Requirements for Funding Assistance:
1. Any athlete with a CCC and FIS racing license, with the long-term goals of achieving international excellence in cross country skiing, whose primary support structure is a Canadian Club or NDC. Athletes considered should be achieving the expected performance progression for their age based on the International Performance Benchmarks.
2. Submission of past racing history that clearly indicates progression towards international excellence in cross country skiing (can include any relevant information – OWG, WSC, WC, WJC/U23, Nationals, NorAm results, FIS/CPL points, etc)
3. Submission of a long-term development plan (quadrennial 2010-2014) indicating the amount of funding requested for the 2011-12 season and the purpose of the funding based on the gaps identified in the quadrennial plan. This plan should be provided in conjunction with the athlete’s primary coach. Funding will be considered for a number of purposes including but not limited to: specific training camps and National/International racing trips.
4. Submission of a budget for the 2011-12 season clearly indicating expenses related to the athletes racing and training plan and expected sources of funding including sponsorship and provincial carding/support.
Proposal Submission Details:
Submit to: Cross Country Canada
100-1995 Olympic Way
Canmore, Alberta T1W 2T6
Attention: Thomas Holland
Closing Date: May 30th, 2011
Notification of selections: June 30th, 2011
Note: Electronic submissions required.
May 03, 2011 – The sport of cross-country skiing has made a breakthrough into pop culture – our favourite snowy sport was made into a soft rock parody by Tim Heidecker and Davin Wood’s song “Cross Country Skiing.” Read the L.A. Times Music Blog article for lyrics and more about Heidecker and Wood HERE.
April 30, 2011 – FIS will be presenting a cross-country homologation seminar in Falun, Sweden from May 20-22, 2011. The core content will include group works in order to design a venue that will promote the Cross-Country sport in the best way, and thus attract spectators and media to the venue during competitions and TV viewers to switch on their TV equipment.The aim of this seminar is three-fold:
– to provide re-certification to existing Homologation Inspectors,
– to train new FIS and National Homologation Inspectors and
– to provide education to those who design cross-country skiing facilities that will be used for any level of competition.
This seminar is purposely set on the 2015 FIS WSC venue in Falun so that an understanding of the processes of redeveloping trails in order to adapt them to the competition formats that are now included in the WSC Cross-Country program.
FIS TD Seminar for Roller Skiing
FIS is also hosting a TD Seminar for Roller Skiing June 11-12 in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Deadline for registration is June 5.
April 29, 2011 – Canada’s Tyler Mosher, 2009 Para-Snowboard World Champ and 2010 Paralympic XC ski team member, completed three Birkebeiner events this season, and recently finished fourth and sixth at the World Snowboard Federation Para-Snowboard World Cup Tour finale in Lake Louise.
Mosher said that his snowboard results would have been better, had he not spent so much time on XC skis training for the Birkie loppets, and he’s considering tackling another next year. He’s also hoping snowboarding will be named a Paralympic sport for the 2012 Games in Sochi.
Read the article full Whistler Question article HERE.
April 29, 2011 (Norway) – The end of the Cross-Country season is expected to witness 12,000 cross-country skiers at the start in Geilo, Norway for the season-concluding Skarverennet on Saturday, April 30th. For most of the participants, their race time won’t matter as they will enjoy the 38km race, stopping to picnic and enjoy the views.
Yet several World Cup stars are also expected to compete. Leading the way are Norwegian stars Marit Bjoergen, Therese Johaug and Petter Northug along with Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) and the Swiss Team head coach Guri Hetland. Last year’s champion Curdin Perl (SUI) will also be challenged by Jean Marc Gaillard, Vincent Vittoz (both FRA) and biathletes Tarjei Boe (NOR) and Michael Roesch (GER).
Warm temperatures and little snow in this part of Norway at this stage of the season have provided a formidable challenge to the organizers. In higher elevations, the tracks are still in a good condition, but in several other locations, snow must be transported and distributed. However, the organizers are determined to carry out the event, claiming that cancellation is not an option!
April 28, 2011 – U.S. Ski Team member Kikkan Randall is currently enjoying some well-deserved vacation time in Hawaii after a long competitive XC ski season, which included World Cup medals and a top 10 in the overall World Cup standings. According to Randall’s Twitter feed, she’s not slacking off and sitting on the couch. She has been staying active, spending a lot of time on the bike, as well as canoeing and paddle boarding. She recently cycled up one of Hawaii’s tallest peak, Haleakala at 3, 055m / 10,023 feet.
April 28, 2011 (Bend, OR) – The Bend Endurance Academy is seeking collegiate skiers and older juniors ages 18-23 who have an interest in spending 3-4 months in Bend, Oregon training with professional coaches and a highly motivated Nordic team. The Academy offers a mix of morning and afternoon practices focusing on strength and agility training, skate and classic rollerskiing, hiking, running and exploring in the Deschutes National Forest. On snow skiing opportunities are available. Practices run Tuesdays-Saturdays from May 31 to August 15th.
The Academy relies on innovative training methods to maximize individual summer training plans and help participants reach their individual fitness and technique goals. The summer Nordic program is designed for individuals looking to succeed at NCAAs, USCSAs, US Nationals, Supertours, Junior Nationals, World Junior/U23s or other individual ski racing goals. The Academy also offers three 5-day camps throughout the summer in various Northwest locations including the very popular Trout Lake Nordic Camp scheduled for July 20-24. Academy camps connect PNSA, Far West, Mid Atlantic, and New England skiers and include current and former J1/World Junior/U23 team members and coaching staff.
Academy staff will do their best to help participants find summer jobs or internships as well as assist with home stay or housing arrangements. Central Oregon Community College offers a range of summer classes. Oregon State University classes are available as well through the Cascades Campus. This is a unique opportunity to catch up on a class, or get ahead for next year.
April 27, 2011 – We have met the 2011 Annual Fund Goal, but with 5 days left, a new donor has stepped forward with a really exciting offer: “Every dollar NENSA raises from this point through the drive’s end on Saturday at midnight we will match by depositing $1 each into the Skis for Kids ski lease program and NENSA’s new Athlete Support Fund… we will match up to $10,000 in additional gifts to bring our total to $20,000.”
What is the Skis for Kids program? It offers low-cost lease of skis, boots, and poles to any skier in the region. It has helped get entire clubs started and receives universal praise from club leaders and individuals who have used it.
What is the Athlete Support Fund? It is a fund with a current balance of $5000 that starting this coming season will be available to help support athletes based on dedication to the sport and financial need for training and competition opportunities. There are no admin fees taken from this account and 100% of deposits to this account will go directly to supporting athletes.
There has never been a better time to give to NENSA!
And even if you have already given to this year’s drive, now is the time to consider a second gift. A $50 gift will support NENSA, buy a pair of kids skis, and, give $50 of support directly to an athlete. Wow!
Link HERE to Donate Now or check on progress… (all dollars over $25,000 are toward this match!)
April 17, 2011 (North Bay, ON) – The North Bay Nordic Ski Club is seeking a qualified individual to fill the position of Ski Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator will oversee all programs delivered by the club, ensuring that high quality ski programs, training and coaching are provided at all levels.This contract position will be a full time seasonal position from October to March inclusive, with part time off-site work through the rest of the year.
Applications will be reviewed immediately and be taken until May 31st, 2011.
April 16, 2011 (Norman Wells, NT) – Fast and Female hosted its second Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend in the Norman Wells, Northwest Territories on April 8, 9, and 10, 2011. A total of 46 female skiers between the ages of 9 to 19 from nine NT communities were joined by six ambassadors, three instructors, nine chaperones and 10 volunteers for this unique weekend aimed at inspiring and motivating aboriginal girls in cross-country skiing. This year’s event had a special focus on encouraging youth participation in the Sahtu region.
Throughout the weekend, participants had the opportunity to get first-hand instructions both on and off snow from former National Ski Team member and Northwest Territories athlete, Sarah Daitch, and 4-time Olympian, Sharon Firth. Biathlon expert Lindsey Bolivar and former NCAA athlete, Claire Rennie, were also on site with other elite instructors to share their wisdom with the girls.
On Friday, participants gathered for a welcome dinner, a team poster making session, and a leadership workshop for the teens. The younger participants enjoyed a gymnastic lesson compliment of NWT Gymnastics Association.
Saturday’s activities focused on technical cross-country skiing drills, followed by a Zumba dance lesson from Fit 2 the T, and a yoga class. The youth also had a presentation by Olympian Sharon Firth about her journey from the trails of Inuvik to the world stage in cross country skiing.
The weekend-long camp concluded on Sunday with a community ski day and a distance ski challenge to the Norman Wells Ski cabin.
“I learned so many things this weekend,” said Annah Hanthorn, 16 years old. “The camp reminded me how many people have supported me in my sport and helped me learn more on my ski technique. I also learned more yoga moves and even how to Zumba dance. The key ideas I am taking home with me are to encourage others in my sport, to spread the LOVE and to be reminded of the encouraging words I heard from the ambassadors,” she added.
Fast and Female’s programming is intensely focused on working with girls in sports and exposing them to inspiring female athletic role models. In doing so, Fast and Female hopes to increase the retention of girls in sports. As it currently stands, girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys. It is believed that this ratio increases when girls are living in remote communities and face smaller peer groups to support them in their athletic endeavors.
“There is a need for a critical mass of girls to keep the kids skiing together and having fun,” affirmed local event organizer Karen Johnson. “I remember wishing when my girls were in Jackrabbits that enough girls would stay skiing that the kids could flow together into the next level of ski programmingŠ Luckily for me and my girls, that wish has come true.”
“Boys get lots of opportunities to go out for events, but there is very little for girls in the community,” admitted Krista Kerr, a teacher from the Dene community Lutsel K’e. “This event does not require the numbers that team sports do, so it gives girls the chance to participate and travel”.
Jennifer Waterhouse, a teacher from Deline added: “Its always great when the youth in our community get the chance to visit other communities, meet other youth and get exposed to healthy activities. I know the Deline girls had a great time and this weekend has inspired me to build our ski program.”
Thanks to the support of many sponsors, participation to the event was free, including travel, accommodation and food. The small group of participants was selected on the basis of personal merit, motivation and athletic commitment.
In fact, the 2011 Fast and Female Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend was made possible thanks to valuable event-specific partners such as First Air, the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Sahtu Divisional Education Council, the NWT Ski Division, the Colville Lake School Board, the Sport North Federation, the Norman Wells RCMP, the Jokabeca Foundation at The Calgary Foundation, Sorpotimist International, and the Ski North Program. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Clarins Canada, Cold-FX, and Cross-Country Canada – also provided valuable resources to make this event possible.
“I take great pride in the fact that there are no financial barriers for girls to take part in this event,” added Daitch. “This is especially important for girls from isolated communities. The sponsors who contributed to this event have changed lives and we are greatly thankful for their support.”
Subsequent to this most recent Fast and Female event, the growing organization concludes a busy winter season which saw nine events and a reach of 875 girls across Canada and the United States.
In the coming weeks, Fast and Female will be announcing its event schedule for the Spring and Summer.
April 16, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Cross Country Canada (CCC), the National Sport Organization for cross-country skiing in Canada, is currently seeking to fill the position of Coaching Development Coordinator (CDC). The national office is located in Canmore, Alberta. It is required that the successful candidate work out of this office.
General Responsibilities
This Coordinator position is designed to support CCC’s coaching development system up to the international level. Coaching development is fundamental to CCC’s ability to improve the capacity and productivity of the various components of the sport system that facilitate athlete development.
A successful candidate should possess:
– a solid understanding of CCC’s Long Term Athlete Development Guide (Cross-Country skiing – A Sport for Life);
– NCCP training in cross-country skiing;
– the ability to prioritize tasks and achieve high standards and timeliness of all work products;
– all standard Microsoft office software understanding and have website content management skills;
– current NCCP (new system) Learning Facilitator training in cross-country skiing (preferred); and
– polished communication in written and oral form in English (essential) and French (preferred).
The Coaching Development Coordinator will be provided with employee benefits in accordance with the standard benefits provided for CCC employees. The starting salary will depend on the qualifications and experience he or she brings to this position.
Please click on Job description for more information. Applications should be in the form of a letter of application, with CV and three references, submitted by e-mail to:
Cross Country Canada/Ski de fond Canada
c/o Cathy Sturgeon
Director – Administration and Communication csturgeon@cccski.com
Deadline to receive applications and references is April 29th, 2011.
Cross Country Canada would like to fill this position by the middle of May.
CCC is an equal opportunity employer. This position is financially supported in part by Sport Canada.
April 15, 2011 – Mati Alaver, Estonian Ski Team coach, has refused to accept the job of Russian Ski Team Coach offered by the Russian Ski Federation according to ERR News. Alaver states that his priority is to help prove that Estonian skier Andrus Veerpalu is not guilty of doping despite his B Sample positive test for HGH on April 6.
The Estonian coach added that if Veerpalu is cleared, he will continue his position with the Estonian Team. But Russian Ski Federation President, Yelena Vyalbe, is trying to recruit Alavar, who coached Veerpalu a 2x Olympic and 2x World Champion, along with world championship bronze medalist, Jaak Mae.
Vyalbe, a former cross-country skier herself, with three Olympic gold medals to her name, maintains her confidence in Veerpalu’s innocence and Alavar’s integrity as a coach.
Read the ERR News articles HERE and HERE.
Read previous coverage about the Veerpalu case HERE and HERE.
April 15, 2011 (Ottawa, ON) – Nakkertok Ski Club and the Nakkertok Racing Program has an opening for a full-time coach starting in the spring of 2011. This position is focused on developing our Midget and Juvenile skiers on their path towards excellence. and is one of the three core coaching positions for the Nakkertok Racing Program,
The lead Training to Train Coach will design and deliver an effective program in collaboration with a number of volunteer coaches and the lead coaches of the other programs. In this role the successful candidate will work towards creating an environment that is fun, keeps kids in skiing and puts them on a path towards being a competitive cross country skier. Candidates must have effective organizational and communication skills to coordinate a program of up to 70 skiers and 15 volunteer coaches.
The position is based in the Ottawa-Gatineau region and reports to the Racing Director and Racing Program Committee.
Term: Full-time. The hours of work will vary from week to week but an average of 38 hours per week is expected with travel in the winter months on weekends.
General Responsibilities:
The Nakkertok Racing Program uses a collaborative coaching model with professional and volunteer coaches working together as a team. Regular communication and collaboration with other coaching staff both professional and volunteer is expected.
– Develop an overall season plan with other coaches, identifying dates and locations of camps, key activities, coach development sessions, training sessions, trips and the competition calendar.
– Establish regular, timely and effective communications using web tools to athletes and parents.
– Organize and chair regular monthly volunteer coach meetings and development activities.
– Work with volunteer coaches to plan and deliver Stage 1, 2 and 3 practices. Develop and provide T2T volunteer coaches with practice plans for each training session 48 hours in advance of each session.
– For year round program athletes, meet annually to review the program and athlete goals; prepare (with support from the LTC / T2C coach and interested volunteer coaches) generic periodized training programs and monitor and communicate at least monthly with athletes maintaining an internet training log.
– Quebec provincial races, as established by the Racing Program Committee.
Qualifications: Mandatory:
– NCCP CCI-LTT, or equivalent, working towards CCI-TTT
– Proven ability to motivate younger athletes
– Excellent interpersonal and organizational expertise
– Unrestricted class G driver’s licence (or equivalent) and access to a vehicle
Knowledge of:
– Technological tools used to support coaching: internet based coaching and monitoring programs, heart rate monitor use and analysis, video analysis
– Ability to use internet –based communications tools and social media
– Yearly training plan preparation
– Cross country skiing technique development and analysis
– Waxing Expertise: Ability to accurately test skis and suggest appropriate waxes and covers; coordinating and working with a team to quickly and efficiently wax skis for a large number of skis for provincial and national level races.
As a full-time employee, the compensation package for this position will be based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.
Applications should be in the form of a letter of application with CV and three references, submitted by e-mail no later than April 27th, 2011 to:
Nakkertok Ski Club
c/o Jennifer Tomlinson
Director – Racing Program tomlinson@rogers.com (This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
April 14, 2011 (Quebec City, QC) – Canmore, Alberta’s Devon Kershaw was announced Tellement Sport’s Male Athlete of the Year after the Canadian XC ski star logged a breakthrough season in which he won his first ever World Cup event during the FIS Tour de Ski. Kershaw was among a strong line-up of Canadian male athletes, including team mate and 2011 U23 Sprint World Champ, Alex Harvey. Click HERE to view the video (in French).
April 14, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Walt Disney once said ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’. I’m not sure he was referring to a trip around the world, becoming dogsledders, salt mine workers, or alpine racers, but on Mar 4, the Canmore Nordic Ski Club Track Attack skiers did just all those things and more.
The day started with some face painting in the team room where four teams emerged – Team Moustache ‐ with great looking moustaches I might add; Team Whiskers – the cutest group of puppies around with long black whiskers; Team Snowflake – with very fashionable snowflakes on their faces (including one unibrow); and Team Polar Bear – wearing great looking bears. Thrown in there were a few painted flags on faces and well, you can probably picture it, these kids were ready for action.
There were three events that the teams competed in – the Yukon Quest Dog Sled Challenge; the Siberian Salt Mine Relay; and the Holmenkollen Downhill Quest. The dog sled challenge saw the kids become puppies (they sure loved to bark) and complete a team pursuit race, complete with pit stop, gear change and technique change. The Salt Mine Relay was lots of fun and saw the kids complete a continuous relay where every skier on each team completed a leg of diagonal striding, double poling, and step doubling poling. The downhill quest was a terrain park downhill sprint tournament complete with timing, heats, roller coaster bumps, and speed. Events were timed and great prizes were awarded for team spirit, an aggregate award based on results and technique, and participation awards from Cross Country Canada. Polar Cup(cakes) and lots of cookies, snacks, and hot chocolate were enjoyed by all – thanks to our fabulous parents for contributing those. Thanks also to parents and coaches who did the organizing and help guide the around the world adventure.
The energy and imagination of the event matched the enthusiasm and smiling faces of the kids having fun on skis.
The ski tournament is becoming an integral and important event in the yearly calendar of the Canmore Nordic Track Attack skiers. Last year’s Ski Rodeo and this year’s Polar Cup are going to be hard to top. But something tells me that the world may need to be saved in 2012 by a group of strong, fit, skiing superheroes! No need to worry, I have a feeling that a group of 50+ superheroes will arrive just in time at next years event!
![A view of one side of the Center of Excellence [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/1-Centre-of-Excel-DSC01355.jpg)
![Warming up with Ida – getting a little inspiration from Ted in front of us :) [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2-Warm-Up-P1040100.jpg)
![Jessie and I had a little fun in the foam pits where the freestyle skiers practice. Here I practice my swimming dive into the pit… [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/3-Foam-Pit-DSC01387.jpg)
![stuck…!! [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/4-Stuck-Foam-DSC01377.jpg)
![Treadmill Max VO2 Testing [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/5-Tredmill-P1040114.jpg)
![Matt encouraging me as I get in the zone during the test [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/6-Matt-Treadmill-P1040115_2.jpg)
![Treadmill test 2 [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/7-Treadmill-2-DSC01353.jpg)
![Squat test- we push against this bar that is impossible to move to measure the force we put on the scale below our feet [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/8-Squat-P1040120.jpg)
![Vertical Jump test [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/9-Vertical-P1040124.jpg)
![The Rookies [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/10-Rookies-DSC01368.jpg)
![Media Practice – explaining our story with Benji Farrow, KC Oakley, and Robby Kelley [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/11-media-practice.jpg)
![The bird-man towering over me on the bikes! [P] courtesy of Sadie Bjornsen](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/12-Bird-Man-DSC01394.jpg)
